Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. A prosthetic is an artificial device that replaces an amputated or otherwise missing body part, which may be amputated or lost through trauma, disease, or congenital conditions. There are several ways a prosthesis can be attached to a stump. It may be held on with suction, a locking pin, or with a harness. Each method has advantages and drawbacks. A harness can be bulky and not move as well as the other systems. A locking pin may cause irritation where it contacts the stump. Suction is generally considered the best choice, but the user must put the prosthesis on accurately in order to get secure suction.
These methods are not conducive to use of a variety of exterior attachments other than prosthetic devices, such as a tool, for example. Nor are they able to capture and utilize nervous system signaling in any meaningful fashion. Thus, it would be useful to have a new system and method to improve limb function after amputation that also allows a significantly higher degree of human-machine interface.